Rib for cotton-gins



(No Model.)

0. WASHBURNE.

RIB FOR GOTI'ON ems;

No. 390,321. Patented Oct. 2, 1888 NNITED STATES OSCAR \VASHBURNE, OFSING SING, NEW YORK.

RIB FOR COTTON-=GINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 390,321, dated October2, 1888.

' Application filed January 7, 1897. Serial No. 223.695. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OSCAR WASHBURNE, of Sing Sing, in the State of NewYork, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Ribs forGOEliOll-G'IHS, of which the following is a specification.

My improvement relates to the ribs employed in cotton-gins between whichthe ginsaws rotate.

I will describe in detail ribs embodying my improvement, and then pointout the novel features in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse section of aroll-box of a cottongin and certain of its appurtenances, showing a sideview of a rib embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a face view of the ribshown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3is a transverse section of the saw-shaft anda portion of the roll-box, showing a rib of modified form.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

I have only shown such portions of a cottongin as are essential to anunderstanding of my improvement.

A designates a rib, of which any desired number may be used in the gin.It is made of metal. This rib is secured near its upper end, by screwsor otherwise, to a crossbar, a, forming a portion of the frame of theroll-box. It is for a distance below the point whereit is secured to theportion a approximately ogeeshaped in the direction of its length. Belowthe ogee-shaped portion it is curved downwardl y and then outwardly insuch manner that its lower portion will extend beyond the periphery of asaw, B. What may be termed a web, 0, is formed upon the face of the rib.This web has a gradually-increasing projection, beginning at aboutmidway in thelength of the ogee-shaped portion of the rib andterminating at a point about midway in thelength of the main portion orbody of the rib. It is not so wide as the balance of the rib, as shownmore clearly in Fig. 2. By thus reducing the web in width flanges b areformed along the edges of the ogee portion of the rib. Other vflan es 1)are formed as shown alon the g 7 7 1 a a:

front edge of the web and extend from the point of farthest projectionof the web backwardly and downwardly in a curved line. The flanges I)prevent hulls and trash from be ing carried upwardly and over by thesaws of the gin. By so forming the rib what consti tutes recesses orcavities I) Iiare Formed therein.

In the example of my improvement shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the rib A has anopening, 0, formed in the web 0 by cutting away a portion of the web.The seeds from the ginned cotton pass downwardly at the sides of the web0 and onto the main body portion of the rib behind the opening 0. Theyare thusguided by the body of the rib until they pass out at the lowerend thereof. They may pass out through a chute, J, (shown in dottedoutline,) if desired. As shown in fulllines, the flanges b unite to forman apron, I, which terminates at a point a little below the web 0; butthis apron may extend as far as the lower end of the rib, as shown indotted lines, or even for ther, whereby the hulls and trash and theseeds may be kept separate.

In the example of my improvement illus trated in Fig. 3 I have shown thebody of the rib cut away, as at I, forming two portions, Z Z. The freeends of these portions extend close to the block S. The falling seedsare guided outwardly by the portions l of the rib in manner similar tothat shownin Figs. 1 and 2. The apron I is here shown as continuous, andis connected at its lower end to a crossbar, b

Both forms of rib shown may, if desired, he provided with inclined ribsor grooves e. The ribs or grooves upon one half of the gin-ribs shouldbe inclined in a reverse direction to those upon the other half, wherebythe cotton will be caused to move from the ends toward the center of theroll-box. If inclined ribs are employed on the gin-ribs, they willpreferably extend between the saws, so as to assist in lifting thecotton from the saw-teeth. These ribs or grooves are formed at the upperex-- tremities of the ribs and extend beyond the gin-saws. The lower endof the rib is secured to a crossbar, a, comprising a portion of theframe of the roll-box.

In both examples of my improvement shown shaft, F, and extendingWidthwise of the machine parallel with the saws. The exterior surface ofthe roller is provided with teeth (I, which may be of any desiredconstruction, and are secured to the roller in any suitable manner. Thisroller rotates within the lower portion of the recess or cavity 1) ofthe ribs, and its teeth cl are so arranged upon the roller that the sawsB will pass between them. in a direction contrary to that in which thesaws rotate and at a less speed than they.

Cotton is delivered to the roll-box of the gin, and is guided by meansof an apron or inner breast, G, extending between the end plates of theroll-box, downwardly upon the roller E. The teeth d carry the cottonagainst the saws and break up the hulls and trash. \Vhen the cotton iscarried upward by the saws, thehulls and trash are k-noek ed back wardby the flanges 7) on the web 0 and drop down below the roller E. Thesaws take the unginned cotton upwardly behind the apron or inner breast,G, where the usual roll is formed and the cotton is ginned.

The roll-boXis hinged, as at H, to the frame It rotates of the gin, andmay therefore be swung up-' wardly and away from the saws, if for anypur poseit is deemed necessary. When swung up, it of course carries withit the ribs A; and the roller E.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. A rib for a cotton-gin,comprising a main body portion, a web, 0,having a cut-away portion, 0, flanges, as I), flanges b, and an apron,I, connected to the web 0, near one of its ends only, the lower part ofthe main body portion acting as a guide for the cotton-seeds,substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the roll-box of a cotton-gin, of gin-saws andgin-ribs extending between the saws, each rib being provided at itsupper extremity and on its upper side with an inclined rib or grooveextending beyond the saws, substantially as specified.-

OSUAR SVASHBURNE.

\Vitnesses:

J. R. BOWEN, MAURICE J. ROACII.

